As a disabled concertgoer, attending live music events comes with an extra layer of planning, uncertainty, and sometimes disappointment. From limited spaces on accessible platforms to the hoops we have to jump through to obtain accessible tickets, it can be exhausting, and this is all before you’ve even made it to the event. Since July is disability pride month, I wanted to share some of the experiences I’ve had this summer as a disabled music lover. I’ve had the pleasure of attending a range of events in different genres including Slam Dunk festival, BST Hyde Park for both Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter and a FIDLAR show at Electric Ballroom, as well as Alanis Morissette, All Points East festival and Lewis Capaldi coming up, each with their own accessibility policies and accommodations. Now I know it seems crazy to attend all of these events within a 5 month period, but as an Event Management student I’m justifying it by thinking of it all as extra curricular research!
In an ideal world, I’d have purchased accessible viewing platform tickets for all of these shows but the reality is I was only able to purchase one for the FIDLAR show and All Points East Festival. Given that 1 in 4 people in the UK has a disability (Scope, 2025), It’s easy to see why these tickets sell out almost instantly. Luckily I was still able to get a carer ticket so I could safely attend the shows. Most venues have a carer/personal assistant ticket policy enabling disabled people to still attend, even when not in the accessible viewing areas, without having to endure the extra cost of paying for a carer to attend with them. In order to purchase accessible or carer tickets you have to provide proof of disability, and the policy for this is different at each venue. Some require proof of disability benefits or a blue badge, while others will accept the Nimbus Access Card or a letter from a medical professional. I would love to see a standard policy implemented across all venues and live events regarding proof of disability as it can be taxing on a disabled person to have to check which proof is accepted at each venue and then apply for or locate that proof amongst all the other admin that comes with living with a disability.
Once all that faff was sorted, it was finally time to start getting excited about all of the live music I’d get to experience. For the majority of the events I’ve attended so far this year, an accessible entrance has been provided, allowing me to bypass the long queues so I can save my energy for the event itself. This is such a helpful accommodation provided by these large events for disabled people with a variety of disabilities from mobility issues, hearing/sight impaired and learning disabilities as it enables everyone to safely enter the venue with ease. Another key accommodation I found incredibly helpful, especially in a festival setting, was the priority given to disabled guests at food, water and entertainment kiosks. There were often dedicated accessible kiosks and queues, and I found BST Hyde park to be particularly good for their accessibility.
Now, on to the most important part, the music (and if you’re anything like me, the food!). Starting with Slam Dunk festival, a day festival for mostly punk and rock bands. I saw a variety of awesome bands throughout the day and ate some great food, all while waiting for the two headlining bands, Neck Deep and A Day to Remember. Both played incredible sets, but we decided to leave half way through A Day to Remember’s set to beat the traffic getting out of the festival site, an unfortunate reality for many disabled people who simply cannot manage queueing for hours in the car.
Next up was Olivia Rodrigo (27th June) followed by Sabrina Carpenter (5th July) at BST Hyde park. I had primary entry for both days at Hyde park to allow me to visit the merch store and various pop-up entertainments and stands before the queues got too long to manage. Once the festival site started to get busy, we set out our picnic blanket at the main stage and watched all of the opening acts. My favourite openers across both shows had to be Girl In Red and Beabadoobee. Whilst watching the openers, I had some of the most amazing chocolate covered strawberries and finally, a little late to the trend I must admit, I tried the Yorkshire burrito, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and would definitely have it again! Having the picnic blanket was a god-send as it allowed me to sit to enjoy the opening acts, reserving my energy for Olivia and Sabrina, at which point you have to stand to have any chance of seeing anything in General Admission because of how packed it gets. Both performances were everything I hoped they’d be and more and the atmosphere in the crowd was crazy. Unfortunately, after the shows at BST Hyde park, they close the 2 underground stations that are closest, meaning there’s roughly a 15 minute walk in either direction to find an open tube station. In future, to make this more accessible, perhaps a partnership between TFL and BST Hyde Park could work by providing a wristband or pass to access customers, granting them access to the closest stations.
Last but not least, the FIDLAR show at Electric Ballroom. Since this was just a concert style show, there was no food onsite. Luckily for me, the venue is on Camden High Street which it’s just a stones throw away from my favourite place in London, the Camden food market. We headed into London a little earlier to grab a bite and chill by the lock before the show. I couldn’t go to Camden and not get my absolute favourite Birria Tacos from Meathead, especially since they offer discounts for Taco Tuesdays. As I previously mentioned, I was able to purchase an accessible viewing area ticket for this show, which provided me with a seat on a raised balcony, safely away from the mosh pits and an incredible view of the stage. Sometimes I attend a show with an ‘accessible ticket’ only to show up to a chair off to the side or right at the back, so it was really refreshing to see that this venue had it so right.
